Etymology Borrowed from French levant (“rising, sun's point of rising”), form of lever (“to rise”), from Latin levō (“to rise”) (cf. also the present participle levāns), from levis (“light, not heavy”).
1
An easterly wind, generally in the western Mediterranean Sea.
2
A type of leather.
[I]t was bound by G. Levitsky […] in turquoise Levant, stamped back and front with the Crosby crest in gold.1976, Geoffrey Wolff, Black Sun, New York Review of Books, published 2003, page 173:
levant
verb
/lɪˈvænt/
Etymology Transferral use of Levant, from French levant. Compare French faire voile en Levant (“to sail eastward”), literally: set the sail with the Levant, an easterly wind that blows in the Mediterranean Sea. Ultimately from Latin levō + -ant.
1
To abscond or run away, especially to avoid paying money or debts.
In a mighty little time their husbands played them false and, taking whatever they could lay hands upon, levanted and left them in the lurch.1885, Sir Richard Burton, The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Night 16:
He died of a Tuesday. Got the run. Levanted with the cash of a few ads.1922 February, James Joyce, Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:
Crest, a stag regardant levant argent.1932, Notes & Queries for Somerset and Dorset:
[...] crest a raven levant sable issant out of a[…]1977, Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and Natural History, Proceedings:
1 more example
[...] neck grene acornes proper wounded on his left sholder and at her feet there is a fawcon issant levant argent out of a crowne or.1980, Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History:
2
Law Rising or having risen from rest; said of cattle.
Forth rush the levant and the ponent winds.1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Etymology Transferral use of Levant, from French levant. Compare French faire voile en Levant (“to sail eastward”), literally: set the sail with the Levant, an easterly wind that blows in the Mediterranean Sea. Ultimately from Latin levō + -ant.